Nature Prints

I've always loved fabrics that feature things from nature (trees, birds etc) and fortunately for me, I've managed to find some! It will hopefully be arriving next week.

The fabrics are designed and printed by Glasgow based designer showpony. Her fabrics are printed by hand using hand mixed water based inks. The fabric itself is an organic fair trade cotton.

Insect Soup

I plan to make some pencil cases and bean bags (the throwing sort, not the sitting sort) from them.

Seasons

I think they're rather nice. What do you think?

Designer Organic Prints

Once again, Etsy's come through with the goods and I've managed to find two different shops that both design their own unique prints and have them printed on organic cotton fabrics.

Jan Dicinto is the designer and brains behind Daisy Janie. This is my favourite print of hers:

Boxwood Metro

The second company I found was the Massachusetts based company Oliver Henry Organics. The designer, Melissa Swansey Nicholson, is into vintage inspired prints. This is my favourite print of hers:

Bouquet

Auntie Jill's Organic Ferns Snuggle Bunny

I've just made another organic 'softie' find: Organic Ferns Snuggle Bunny by Auntie Jill.

This little bunny has gorgeous great big long ears (that are almost as long as her body!), and a very cute (yet dignified) tail. She gets her name (Fern) from the fern print cotton fabric that lines her ears.

This little bunny is made from soft 100% organic cotton jersey and stuffed with 100% organic stuffing. Her face is sewn by hand.

Auntie Jill posted an Organic Ferns Snuggle Bunny on Etsy yesterday and when I went back today to view it again it was gone! Alas for me. But never fear! Auntie Jill has very kindly agreed to make me another.

I'll let you know when it arrives!

Organic Yarns

Yesterday I spent almost the entire afternoon searching for Australian stockists of organic yarns (admittedly my mum gave me a head start by pointing out a website she'd already found in her own searches, i.e. the wool shack).

I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but I've found five companies who stock organic yarns (ranging from alpaca, cotton, wool, cotton/wool blends and bamboo/wool blends).

I'm still a little dubious about yarns made from alpaca, bamboo and possum as a lot of companies retailing them don't seem to feel the need to stipulate the composition of the materials they're selling nor the need to underline whether or not their yarns underwent any type of chemical interaction/s before they arrived on my front door step.

So I'm still in the process of investigating these fibres' organic status (I'm waiting for companies to respond to my emails . . .)

Umbrella Prints

I've just found another Australian textile business (based in Adelaide) which creates its own organic screen printed fabrics: Umbrella Prints (by Amy Prior and Carly Schwerdt).

This duo uses 100% solvent free, water based inks to print its unique images onto hemp/cotton blend fabrics. I particularly love this cute print:

Elephants in Olive

I think it would be a fantastic print for a child's toy. What do you think?

Ink and Spindle

I've just made a fantastic discovery: the Melbourne based textile company Ink and Spindle!

As part of their aim to create environmentally kind textiles and to be able to offer consumers sustainable printing processes, they pride themselves in promoting and using organic and sustainable base cloths, and using only water based, solvent free inks.

Their fabrics are gorgeous. One of my favourites is by Lara Cameron:

Birch Forest

It's printed on an organic cotton/hemp blend, and I just LOVE the colour! I've found a beautiful dress made by kid a collective on Etsy that has used Lara's fabric:

Isn't it sweet?

Jiyong Mushroom Bear

For those of you who haven't yet met Jiyong Mushroom Bear please take the time to introduce yourself!

Jiyong is the work of y0omii, a young Canadian based artist who specialises in crocheting and knitting. All of y0omii's works are her own original creations. And as she's clever enough to be able to construct many of her creations 'as she goes along', she doesn't need to devise a formal pattern to follow! How impressive is that?!

When I first came across Jiyong it was love at first sight. So I contacted y0omii to discuss the possibility of making another little Jiyong from organic fibres. Fortunately for me, she was very accommodating and went to great lengths to research and procure the materials.

So now the hard part is being patient . . . I can't wait to meet organic Jiyong in the flesh!